Appointments
Hearing implant centre
Your appointment
We offer appointments:
How to get an appointment
You can be referred by:
- your GP
- your local audiology or ear, nose and throat (ENT) service
- another relevant health professional
We'll need details of a recent hearing test to accept the referral.
Changing or cancelling your appointment
- Phone: 020 7188 6245
- Email: gstt.hearingimplants@nhs.net
If you need to change or cancel your appointment, please contact us as soon as possible.
Before your appointment
Please bring with you to your appointment:
- any hearing aids and sound processors you use
- a contact list of health professionals involved in your care
- recent medical reports
- a list of medicines you take
If you need an interpreter during your appointment, please let us know in advance. We can arrange interpreters for all languages, including British Sign Language (BSL).
If you find it difficult to lip read, please let us know. Our staff can type the information you need.
For video appointments we can use captions.
Your assessment
The assessment process will take place over a number of appointments. The expected length of time from referral to operation will vary depending on your needs and situation.
During the process the team will discuss the likely risks and benefits of a hearing implant.
These appointments are usually held virtually using Microsoft Teams.
You'll see an audiological scientist and may also see a member of the rehabilitation team. They will:
- explain the initial screening process
- take a full medical history
- discuss any issues with hearing implants
- do a hearing assessment, for example a hearing test
This appointment will last for up to 2 hours.
You'll see an ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgeon who'll discuss:
- your medical history
- any further assessments needed. This can include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computer tomography (CT)
This appointment will last up to 30 minutes.
You'll be assessed for your hearing amplification needs and functional aided hearing abilities. These assessments may take several appointments.
The number of appointments needed will vary but could include:
- hearing aid fitting
- non-invasive auditory brainstem hearing test (ABR)
- speech perception testing
Each appointment will last up to 2 hours.
We'll check your communication skills and any impact that hearing loss has on you. We'll discuss any issues related to implantation, including your expectations and possible outcomes.
This appointment may be face-to-face or by video. It will last up to 2 hours.
If necessary, you'll have 1 or both types of scan:
These scans take a picture of your ear and hearing nerves.
Your surgeon will talk to you about the results of these scans. This might be at the end of the assessment or at your next appointment.
You'll see a surgeon to talk about any medical issues related to hearing implant surgery and your consent for surgery.
This appointment will last up to 30 minutes.
If offered a hearing implant, you’re under no pressure to accept. The process is as much for you to gather information about the benefits and risks, This helps you make an informed decision about whether a hearing implant is for you.
See our videos about the assessment process for cochlear implants.
After your appointment
Once the assessment is completed, we'll send the team report to you and any professionals you have asked us to inform.
You'll be offered the next available surgery slot by the ear, nose and throat (ENT) admissions team.
We'll give you as much notice as possible before your surgery date. If you cannot accept the surgery date offered, we’ll offer you an alternative date.
Before your surgery, you'll need to have a pre-admissions check. This could take place weeks or days before your surgery. It often takes place on the same day as your final ENT appointment. At this appointment a doctor will make sure you’re medically fit for surgery.
See our videos about cochlear implant (CI) surgery.
If you have a hearing implant we'll:
- help you manage your hearing implant equipment
- help you programme your device over a period of weeks and months
- monitor your progress
- provide recommendations and advice to support your hearing development and communication
- support you and your family to adjust to living with a hearing implant
Your appointments will be a mixture of face-to-face and virtual.
Find out more about recovering from cochlear implant surgery.
See our videos about living with a cochlear implant.
If you have any queries after your appointment, please contact us.
Last updated: November 2023
